The world suffers from physician shortage due to a range of causes such as relocation, rural or urban uneven dispersal, and change in citizen growth.

This is where organizations, for instance, Doctors Without Borders comes in and brings aide to underdeveloped countries in the form of resources which includes medical personnel from developed countries.

Physician Shortage

Recognizing Physician Assistants

Because of the disproportion, doctors are stretched to the limits in remote places which does not allow them to properly asses and treat every patient that walks in to their clinic. Efficiency will increase if there are more health professions that can work in these under privileged areas specifically physician assistants since they can perform almost the same amount of care a physician can. However, many of these countries do not recognize physician assistants license which hinders the amount of people who can perform specific medical treatments.

Countries integrating Physician Assistants

15 countries are currently working on integrating PAs in to their workforce planning

The United States of America

Canada

Netherlands

These countries who do include physician assistants in their workforce planning, have a stronger health care system compared to the countries who do not. Incorporating physician assistants into workforce planning can increase the health care system of under developed countries who already have a weak health care system.

Health Care in Developing Countries

Basic medical supplies are often in short supply in developing countries. The supplies that are provided are in most cases brought over seas from more advanced countries. The economic uneven development effects the financial resources that is supposed to be distributed to the health care system and the workers in charge of running it.

Children have died from not getting basic health care over the past year

10 Million

NEARLY

Recognizing physician assistant licenses will help bring the necessary aid to underdeveloped countries with a failing health care system. Increasing the number of medical professionals in areas such as Africa and South America will have a positive impact on not only the induvial who are being treated but the country as a whole.